


Revelations

by cynatnite



Series: The Clint Barton and Tony Stark Playbook of Brothers [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Grieving Clint, It's always the cards that give it away, Natasha Is a Good Bro, Phil never dies in my fic, Smart Clint, Tony Is a Good Bro, Tony hates SHIELD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-22 18:16:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11385696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynatnite/pseuds/cynatnite
Summary: When Clint is taken by Loki, Tony will break anyone and everything to get him back.





	Revelations

The holograph table lit up with a building had Tony’s full attention. It was the next step of a major project that would point Stark Industries in a new direction. He’d been toying with it for half an hour when his phone vibrated. Seeing Clint’s picture, he grinned.

“Hey, I was just thinking about you.” Tony spun the holographic building around with a twist of his wrist.

“ _I called…_ ” Clint paused. “ _Do I even want to know?”_

“I want to expand our free energy enterprise.”

“ _That monstrosity with your name on it wasn’t enough?_ ”

“Progress is tolerance, little bro,” Tony chided. “That’s why your real estate acquisition is perfect for expansion.”

“ _Uh, Tony, I’m not sure if that’s a good idea. The residents are particular about their homes_.”

“Oh, come on, who wouldn’t want free electricity for the next two years, eight months, and…”

“ _Tito_ ,” Clint said with a sigh.

“I thought the dog’s name was Lucky?”

“ _Ronald Saucedo_ ,” Clint answered. “ _Everyone calls him Tito. He smokes pot and reads Edgar Rice Boroughs novels in the hallway._ ”

“Not a fan of electric power, I take it.”

“ _He’s a Woodstock veteran. You can smell the incense in the hallway and he plays a lot of Doors when he’s depressed_.”

“I can work around it,” Tony insisted. He removed the holographic ventilation system. The building needed a new one anyway. “So, why did you call if not to be thrilled for the next stage of free power for the world project?”

“ _Director Fury approved of you being read in on an old SHIELD operation_.”

“Wow.” Tony stopped what he was doing and went to the bar. “Does his eye patch tingle when he knows someone is talking about him?”

“ _Tony, it’s a project Howard started post World War II. A couple of years ago it was reopened_.”

“This sounds important.” Tony carried his drink to the sofa and stretched out.

“ _I only know about it because Coulson’s the one who dug it out of the archives. He put a team together and last month, they found it…him._ ”

“Jesus, Clint, what the hell is it or him, whatever?”

“ _They found Captain America_.”

Tony spilled his drink when he jerked up from the sofa. “Are you punking me?”

“ _They got him out of the fucking ice, Tony. He thawed out at SHIELD HQ in New York and took down three SHIELD agents in the melee_.”

“Fuck me,” Tony breathed. He was rarely shocked these days. “Where is he now?”

“ _Acclimating_.”

“How’s your agent doing with his fanboy fantasy walking around and breathing?”

“ _Shut up_ ,” Clint growled. Tony heard the heavy sigh on the other end. It had to be tough for his brother to watch the love of his life being nuts over a childhood hero. “ _Coulson got called off since there was no reason for him to stick around_.”

“The old man would be head over crazy happy at the news.” Tony finished off what was left of his drink.

“ _The search was a SI priority. It’s only right you know about it. Just keep your distance, Tony. From what I’ve been told, Steve Rogers hasn’t had an easy time of it_.”

“I’ve got enough on my plate.” Tony had no interest in seeing the man his father had bragged about for most of his life. That was one icon he’d never live up to. “So, did the Agent get sent to your super-secret base?”

“ _He arrived this morning_.”

There was something in Clint’s voice and Tony had learned years ago to never discount it.

“You’re doing that thing again,” Tony informed him.

“ _What thing? Am not_ ,” Clint denied.

“Hey, little bro. You can’t tell me anything. I get that. But there’s something going on you’re not liking…it’s got you bugged.”

“ _Doesn’t matter. It’s not my call to make_.”

“But you would if you could, right?”

“ _Tony, just stay away from anything SHIELD related, okay? I need your word_.”

Tony crossed his fingers. “Sure, no problem.”

Clint laughed. “ _Yeah, that’s what I thought. I’ve gotta go_.”

“Call me tomorrow,” Tony told him. He was worried about Clint. “I’ll give you my best pickup lines for the Agent Coulson.”

“ _Bye Tony_.”

Tony set the phone down and sighed. “Jarvis.”

“ _Sir, all related material regarding Captain America has been transferred. Shall I display them for your perusal_?”

“No, I’m not reading them.”   

 

~*~

 

“Captain Freaking America,” Clint breathed.

He stuck his head under the hot shower to wash the soap off and when his eyes closed he thought back to the conversation with Tony. The Star-Spangled icon’s revival had impacted the two of them in different ways.

Watching Coulson’s excitement as he talked about the first time seeing Captain America, even though the icon had been unconscious at the time, made Clint’s gut knot. It was stupid being jealous, but he didn’t want to imagine them bonding over Phil Coulson’s extensive memorabilia collection.

That he could deal with, but hearing Tony’s voice go flat was another matter. Howard had spoken of Steve Rogers, the man, as if he was a beacon of light on top of being the guy that was a World War II hero of epic proportions. Clint himself had never felt the need to live up to that, but Tony had been inundated with those stories for most of his life. 

As he got out of the shower and dried off, Clint saw his future. He and his brother both would be lamenting over the ultra-perfect Captain America with some expensive scotch.

Clint was headed to the mess when he ran into Phil.

“Hey, sir.” It was always good to see him. Clint took in the perfect suit and for a moment considered messing it up just to see what a rumpled Phil looked like.

“Barton, I was looking for you. Lunch?”

“Sure.”

They both headed to the mess around the corner and after filling their trays, they took a table near the back.

“You need to use my name,” Phil told Clint. “You were promoted, remember?”

Clint chuckled. “Hard habits…Phil. On the job it’s tough to remember.”

“Did you tell your brother the news?”

“Earlier.” Clint pushed the macaroni salad around his plate. “It wasn’t the momentous news you’d expect.”

“Got a few war stories of Captain America saving the day, I take it.”

“Who wants to measure up to an American icon?” Clint closed his eyes. “Sorry, Phil. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It’s okay,” Phil smiled. “I admired him because he fought to do the right thing his entire life even before the serum. It was never about his exploits themselves.”

Clint watched Phil lower his eyes and wondered what he was thinking.

“You remind me of him,” Phil observed.

The nervous laugh escaped. “Pretty sure there’s no Captain America material here, Phil.”

“That’s not…” Phil took a drink of his water before continuing. Clint had never seen the man hesitate before. “You’ve always tried to do the right thing, Clint. Fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. I admire that.”

“I hope you’re not selling yourself short, Phil. You’ve got your share of saving lives under your belt.”

Phil set his fork down. “Rather than embarrassing each other with praise, why don’t you talk about your detail, Clint.”

“Best idea ever,” Clint said. “So, my detail…which I never thought I’d get, but yeah, promotions can also suck with the extra responsibility.”

“Problems?”

“No, not like you think. I’ve got a good team. They know what to do before I even ask for it. Who knew they’d be so fucking competent.”

Phil chuckled. “It’s a bit scary, isn’t it?”

“A little.”

“One of the things that makes a good leader is surrounding yourself with intelligent people. It can be overwhelming, but the payoff is seeing your best and brightest succeeding.”

“Phil, this project…” Clint sighed. “I’m not sure we’re ready for it.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s beyond anything we’ve ever done…hell, no one on the planet has the slightest idea of what to do with it.”

“Dr. Selvig seems to know what he’s doing.”

“Well, if Selvig had his way, he’d elope with that damn cube to Vegas. He loves it too damn much.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“Talk to Fury. Lock the cube up for the time being. There’s more than enough data for simulations to see exactly what we’re dealing with here.”

“Clint, what is the danger you’re seeing? I need more information to take to Fury.”

Clint deflated a little. “It’s nothing concrete, just a feeling. We’re not ready for this kind of unknown, Phil.”

“I’ll get an update from Dr. Selvig. If there’s the smallest anomaly, I’ll take it to Fury.”

“We’re on a new playground,” Clint told him. “If New Mexico was any indication, the bullies are bigger, stronger and smarter.”

 

~*~

 

Seeing a Stark Tower glowing in the New York skyline had Tony in the best mood. The energy project was already going well and he couldn’t wait to start in on Clint’s apartment building next. Pepper had her eye on two other sites and a PR campaign for the record books.

The comfortable banter between them both had him smiling. They were drinking champagne when Jarvis interrupted them.

“ _Sir, the telephone. I’m afraid my protocols are being overwritten_.”

“ _Stark, we need to talk_ ,” Phil insisted over the line.

Tony grabbed the phone and at seeing Phil’s picture, he said, “You have reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark. Please leave a message.”

“ _This is urgent_ ,” Phil sternly replied.

“Then leave it urgently,” Tony shot back.

The elevator slid open and Phil stepped to him and Pepper.

“Security breach,” Tony snarked.

Phil held out a computerized file the size of a large laptop.

“I don’t like being handed things,” Tony told him.

Pepper traded her flute of champagne for the file.

“I love to be handed things. Let’s trade,” Pepper announced.

Tony took the thing from Pepper and went towards the bar.

“Official consulting hours are between eight and five every other Thursday.”

“This isn’t a consultation,” Phil stated.

Tony saw the dead seriousness on Phil’s face and paused.

“How urgent is this?” Tony asked.

“There was an incident at a SHIELD facility,” Phil began. “Your brother has been compromised.”

“Oh, my god,” Pepper whispered.

“What does that even mean?” Tony bit out. “Compromised?”

“Everything we have regarding the incident and the Avenger Initiative is in your hands.”

Tony turned sharply and faced Phil.

“Excuse me if I call bullshit!” Tony fired at Phil. “Whatever the hell you people had him doing, had him bugged, Agent! He couldn’t tell me shit, but there was something wrong and don’t fucking lie about it!”

“Yes, he did, but without any evidence there was no reason to shut down the project,” Phil tried to explain. He rubbed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Tony. We need you on this. Your brother does, too.”

“Phil,” Pepper said. “When you say Clint is compromised…”

“Everything Clint knows, this new enemy knows,” Phil told her. “Everything.”

Tony took hold of Pepper’s hand. “I want you in DC.”

“I should stay here,” Pepper replied.

“He’s right,” Phil told her. “Stark Industries could be vulnerable. You need to get out of the city.”

“Jarvis will revamp all our security,” Tony explained. “It’s just for a few days. We’ll have him back before you know it and he’ll be eating all the peanut butter ice cream.”

“I’ll return for you in the morning,” Phil told Tony.

Pepper kissed Tony. “Do your homework.”

When Tony stood alone, he opened the file and the images appeared before his eyes. Seeing the Hulk, Captain America and the cube was as surreal as life had ever gotten. He touched the image of the cube and security footage of the being known as Loki on the platform began playing.  

 

~*~

 

When Loki became his god, Clint had no memory of it. One moment he was ready to kill and the next, he shot Nick Fury in the chest. The next thing he knew, he was standing in dark catacombs with armed men all around him. That was when he realized he had some semblance of control, but any attempt to break free of the scepter was met with another blackout.

He’d spoken to Loki. That much he was sure about. There was a gratification in the demi-god’s eyes and it shook Clint to his core when he imagined what he’d said.

His next waking moment was in a moving truck going down a dark highway. Clint had gripped the door handle, but jumping out was impossible.

“Fuck!” Clint muttered.

The driver glanced over and Clint recognized him. The man was on SHIELD’s most wanted roster. When they got to the desolate airfield, it all slipped away.

 

~*~

 

How Tony held it together, he didn’t know. He wished for Clint’s strength and courage. Right now, he felt like a fucking coward and with every word thrown his way, he’d spewed sarcastic comments and jokes like a damn comedienne who didn’t know when to shut up. That’d gotten on the perfect Steve Rogers’ bad side.

As soon as he’d discovered where Loki was locked up, Tony headed in that direction. There was a shit ton of secrets here and he’d find them all if it was the last thing he did. But first, words with the maniacal diva was in order.

He was stopped dead in his tracks by Natasha, his brother’s best friend. No, he didn’t trust the woman despite Clint’s loyalty to her. Tony had his doubts on whose side she was on.

“No,” was her firm instruction.

“Just taking a walk…gotta get my exercise in,” Tony lied. It was a terrible lie, but he didn’t care.

“You’re not seeing him,” Natasha ordered.

“You’re not the spying assistant anymore,” Tony informed her. “The way I figure it, Fury’s offer of magazines isn’t going to cut it.”

“Manipulation is second nature to Loki. You’ll just be giving him what he wants.”

“Oh,” Tony said with a mocking look. “Like you? Fury? You think you know better than the geniuses you call in to get that extra bit of power, but ignore them when they’re telling you “danger, Will Robinson”? If your record, SHIELD’s, Fury’s or even Coulson’s is any indication, my brother will be much better off with my help.”

Tony started to move and Natasha stopped him.

“Clint saved me when he had no reason to, Stark.” She took a breath to hold onto her emotions. “I owe him. If I fail, then your new science buddy gets a shot.”

She was serious and Tony couldn’t help but give her a sly grin.

“I can respect that.”

Tony turned around and went back to the lab. Nick Fury’s secrets were due for wide release.

Unbeknownst to everyone, hell was about to be unleashed.

 

~*~

 

Tony worked furiously to keep the hellicarrier in the air all the while knowing his brother was trying to crash it into the water. He was fighting against himself in the process. His gut said to find Clint, get through to him and break the hold Loki had on him. Doing so would assure complete destruction of the floating carrier and that included Clint.

Once they were stable and the threat of impending doom had passed, he got out of the suit and headed to the bridge to find where Clint was being held. Instead, the news of Phil’s death had him sitting down. The bloody Captain America cards were thrown in front of him and Steve.

He didn’t want to fight Fury’s war and the loss weighed heavy. Then he realized what his father had been talking about after the conversation with Steve Rogers. The American icon that had been shoved in his face throughout his life was more than the posters and newsreels. Tony finally understood.

He hurried to the detention area and found Nick Fury and Natasha waiting outside the room.

“How is he?” Tony asked.

“Himself,” Natasha assured him.

The relief flowed out of him.

“I need to talk to him now,” Tony told them.

“I’m on the bridge. The WSC is giving Hill fits,” Nick announced.

After he left them, Natasha stepped closer.

“I hear we’ve got some business at your place.”

“Is he up for it?” Tony asked.

“Yeah, just one thing.”

“I owe you now. Shoot.”

“Clint doesn’t know about Coulson and you can’t tell him.”

“Why the hell would I ever agree to that,” Tony said in disbelief.

“We need his head on straight, Tony.” She’d never used his first name before. “He can’t fight smart otherwise.”

“Jesus.” Tony rubbed his eyes. She was right and he hoped Clint forgave him for keeping quiet.

“Clint will understand.”

Natasha gave a comforting pat to his arm and walked away. Tony didn’t hesitate to go inside and at the sight of Clint wearing his uniform, he rushed over. The hug was long overdue.

“You scare the shit out of me anymore and I’m commandeering the Flathead.”

Clint tried to smile, but failed. He was beyond exhausted and still ready for the fight ahead. No one was keeping him sidelined.

“It’s good to see you. How’s Pepper?”

“In DC. She’s safe.”

“Good.” Clint felt awkward under Tony’s gaze. “I’m…uh, well, you know. It..uh…I killed so many…”

“Hey,” Tony softly said. “That wasn’t you. Anyone says otherwise, I’ll kick their ass…including you, little bro.”

“You might have to about a thousand times,” Clint admitted. “I just need to do something, you know?”

“Sure. I even know where the fucking diva’s headed. Let’s go play.”

Seeing Tony’s confident smile had Clint returning it.

“Fucking amen to that, brother.”

 

~*~

 

Exhaustion had finally caught up with Clint after the impromptu shawarma. Tony had carefully watched him and more than once caught Natasha doing the same. Few words had been spoken.

When they got to Stark Tower he watched Natasha herd Clint into the shower. Minutes later she stepped out of Clint’s room.

“He’s sleeping.” Natasha slumped on the sofa. “I didn’t tell him.”

“That’s not going to hold.” Tony crossed to the bar and poured a healthy scotch. After a look at her, he grabbed the vodka and filled another glass. He handed it to Natasha and sat next to her.

They silently drank for a few minutes before Tony spoke.

“When Clint came to live with us, he started stealing food nearly right from the start. The maid was finding it in his room hidden in drawers and under his bed.” Tony sipped the scotch and sighed. “Mom understood it. Maybe it was a Depression era thing. She put a mini fridge in his room and had me stock it. That was when I realized Clint had known hunger most of his life before he came to live with us. Even now, he still can’t cut a break no matter what.”

Sometimes Tony hated silence and he hated it even more on Natasha, the Black Widow. He trusted her now which was better than the alternative.

“When he wakes up, we get to tell him that someone he loved with all his heart is dead,” Tony lamented. “Someone he never got the chance to tell and we’re going to be fighting Clint every step of the way to convince him it wasn’t his fault.”

“I know.” Natasha sounded tired when she said it. “Clint’s a survivor, always has been.”

“It’s a lame reply, Romanov,” Tony informed her. “Surviving has never been enough for him.”

“No, it’s not.” Her laugh was bitter. “I told Loki love was for children, those whose innocence never allowed for it to not exist. Clint lost so much of his, but he never gave up on it.”

“And now? Knowing the love of his life is gone forever?” Tony asked.

“I don’t know,” Natasha whispered. “I just don’t.”

“Yeah, me neither.”

Tony downed the rest of the liquor and got up to get more.

 

~*~

 

It took a few weeks of pleading, emails, texts and phone calls, but the Avengers were slowly coming together. Bruce seemed pleased to have a lab with no financial limits at his beck and call. Thor finally made a brief appearance, but soon headed to New Mexico for his quirky scientist. Even Steve Rogers showed up with a few boxes and a duffel bag. Fighting the good fight was a motto everyone could get behind.

Natasha remained a constant not wanting to be too far from Clint. Her and Tony both managed to coax him into working in the lab which seemed to help with the grief. Even though Clint was eating and sleeping, the deep sorrow was still in his eyes.

Several new prototype arrows were lined up on the counter nearly ready for testing as a result. No matter how hard Tony tried, Clint refused to work on any of the cars.

It was just over a month after the Battle of New York and the team gathered for a meal in the commons. Clint had been toying with a new bow design and set the tablet down. Barely two words had left him and the room was quiet as everyone ate.

It was Steve who broke the silence.

“Hey, Clint.”

“Yeah,” Clint replied. He was focused on the plate in front of him, but had no appetite.

Steve shifted in his seat and took out the envelope.

“Natasha told me about Coulson.” He didn’t miss the tightening of Clint’s shoulders at the mention of the name. “I thought you’d want this.”

Clint watched the envelope slide across the table in his direction. He froze at seeing it. Every time he thought the pain and regret was gone, it got shoved back at him until he was ready to puke. He grabbed it and opened the flap. The bloody cards slid out into his hand.

He forgot to breathe as his fingers shifted them around. Clint shook his head.

“I don’t understand,” he said looking at Steve.

“Fury showed them to us after…” Steve glanced around at the team who remained silent.

“This isn’t right,” Clint said. He went through the cards again. “It’s fucking wrong!”

“Clint,” Natasha said. “What is it?”

“They were in Coulson’s pocket when Loki…” Steve tried to explain.

When Clint shot out of his chair and ran to the elevator, everyone followed. Once in the lab, the team watched in stunned silence as Clint rushed to turn on the equipment. It was Tony who finally went to him.

“What is it, little bro? What’s going on?”

Clint put the bloody cards on the scanner.

“Jarvis,” Clint said. “Match the DNA to the SHIELD database.”

“ _Yes, Clint_ ,” Jarvis answered.

“What is it?” Bruce asked.

As Clint watched for the results, he said, “Phil would never keep those cards in his pockets. Never.”

“He asked me to sign them,” Steve explained.

“No!” Clint emphatically replied. “He would have carried them by hand to you or had you come to his office on the hellicarrier. Phil was an expert collector. Condition was number one in his book. They would’ve been damaged in his pocket and no way would Phil had risked it.” He looked at Steve. “Getting your signature would’ve increased his attachment to them tenfold.”

It took another three minutes of waiting for the outcome.

“Sir, a match in the DNA database of SHIELD confirms it is Agent Phil Coulson’s red cells,” Jarvis announced.

Clint stepped away and shook his head.

“No fucking way,” he breathed.

“I’m sorry, Clint,” Steve said. “I don’t know what you expected…”

“Fuck off!” Clint snarled. “You don’t get it! I don’t give a shit whose blood that is! Phil Coulson is alive!”

It was Natasha who approached Clint next.

“Clint, the medics called it. Everyone heard it.”

“Tasha, there is no way Phil would have carried his cards around in his pocket. I know that as sure I’m standing here. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t believe it.”

Steve glanced around the room and he couldn’t be sure of what everyone was thinking, but he trusted Clint Barton’s word.

“Okay,” Steve said. “How do we go about proving it?”

“As morbid as it sounds,” Tony began. “We need to account for the bodies. Are you up to it, Clint?”

“Yeah, I am.” Clint felt nauseas at the prospect.

He knew the official numbers and had went through the casualty list with care. Clint made large anonymous donations to each family who’d suffered a loss. He had set up a college endowment program for dependents of lost SHIELD agents as well.

“Jarvis,” Tony announced with a growing smile.

“ _I have already begun, sir_.”

This Clint could do.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm nowhere near the end of the Clint and Tony Brothers Playbook. :)


End file.
